South African Lacertilia, Ojjhidia, and Batrachia. 
151 
Agama distanti Boul, Ann. Mg. Nat. Hist. (7), IX., 339. 
Eldorado, Marandellas (0. A. Kidwell) ; Mochudi (W. A. H. Harbor) ; 
Baralong Farms (F. B. Parkinson); Mafeking (A. H. Wallis) ; Madibi 
(F. B. Parkinson). 
Agama aculeata Merr. ; B.M. Cat., I., 351. 
Kyky, Nosob, Lower Molopo, Wildehonde Pan, Upington, (L. W.) ; 
Kimberley (R. C. Barrow, H. A. Black, A. L. Franceys, H. C. Perring, 
J. H. Power, C. E. Weston, W. Wright) ; Fort Richmond, Herbert (W. H. 
Wayland). 
The systematics of the hispida section of Agama have been dealt with 
by various authors, with results which are somewhat conflicting. The 
most recent proposition (Sternfeldin Mit. a. d. Zool. Mus. Berlin, v., 3. 398) 
is to sink all our species into hisjnda, but this seems to us unjustifiable. 
It is possible that hrachyura and distanti will be found to grade into 
hispida, but even in such case it will be desirable to retain the names as 
geographical varieties. A. aculeata seems to be a good species, character- 
ised by the distinct and uninterrupted dorsal crest and by the relative 
proportions of the toes. Yet some of its characters grade with those of 
distanti. A half-grown specimen from Kraai Pan has the third toe 
distinctly longer than the fourth, and the dorsal crest, though continuous, 
has some of its scales enlarged ; a half-grown example from Taungs has 
the third and fourth toes subequal ; an immature specimen from Serowe 
(Albany Museum) has the general appearance of acideata, but the third 
toe is longer than the fourth. In each of these cases the fifth toe is 
appreciably longer than in the typical form of distanti. It is significant 
that these all came from the borderland between the headquarters of the 
two species ; no such intermediates, if they may be so called, were found 
in the large collection of aculeata made in Gordonia. We are not in 
agreement with the proposal of Dr. Werner and Mr. Boulenger to 
completely unite aculeata and armata, as those forms will most probably 
have a geographical meaning ; at any rate the very large collection in the 
Kimberley Museum is made up entirely of aculeata, sensu strictu. 
Dr. Schultze found this species widely distributed in the Kalahari, and 
at one locality, Okahandja, according to Dr. Werner, hispida (presumably 
distanti) was also found ; but the latter species was not found in Miss 
Wilman's Kalahari collection. The specimens recorded in Annals 
Transvaal Mus., vol. iii., 47, from Kimberley, Tafelberg, and Cradock 
belong to aculeata not to brachyura. 
Agama aculeata, commonly called the " blauwkop kochelmander," is 
fond of perching on the tops of thorn-trees and shrubs, but also lives on 
the ground. It is remarkable for the magnificence of its colours and for 
